Joseph Sullivan

Joe Sullivan was born at the Melrose Hospital on July 19, 1930. He grew up in Malden and was educated in its public school system. He graduated form Malden High School in 1948 and was president of both his Junior and Senior Class. He was drafted in March 1952 and was sent to Korea where he was a member of the 25th Division's 8th Field Artillery Battalion where he attained the rank of Staff Sergeant. He had the unique experience of participating in one of the longest trips back to the states when his troop ship left Pusan and sailed half way around the world before docking in New York harbor 43 days later. The China Sea, Indian Ocean and Suez Canal were part of the route required to deliver home the UN troops from Greece, Turkey and Belgium, who like the 956 GI's were passengers on the ship.

After being released from the Army on December 24, 1953 he entered Boston College the following January taking advantage of an accelerated course offered to recently released veterans like him. He graduated cum laude in May 1957 and was the recipient of the Marketing and Sullivan awards. His business career includes stints with Tedeschi's Super Markets, Stop & Shop and Bradlees where he held advertising responsibilities. In January 1965 he joined Sylvania Lighting's Consumer Products division where he eventually became Marketing Operations Manager. He worked for Sylvania for 28 years, retiring in June 1993 as part of a buyout offer.

He was married to Jean M. Heffernan of South Boston. Mrs. Sullivan died in June 2003; they were married 45 years. They have five children Tony, Bobby, Jane, Neal and Dave. There are currently nine grandchildren, Megan Anne, Sammy Jean, Kailey, Allie, Danny and Patrick Sullivan and Johnny, Kate and Ellen Nickodemus. The latter three are direct descendants of Dr. Samuel Mudd who was arrested by the Union Cavalry the day after he set the broken leg of a patient who turned out to be John Wilkes Booth. Mr. Booth was fleeing the Ford Theater where he had shot President Abraham Lincoln.